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That was a bomb to drop without warning. “You’re being sued? Why? Who’s bringing the lawsuit? And…why?”
“I guess I should start from the beginning, or it’s not going to make any sense.”
Bree was about to dive in, when a nurse entered the waiting room. Kyle jumped up and motioned for me to join him.
“Excuse me,” I said. “I’ll be right back.” I hurried over to Kyle’s side.
“The doctor asked me to let you both know that they’ve officially begun the surgery on Faron. His vitals are holding steady so far, and we’ll update you when we have any more information.” She turned and—before either of us could say a word—bounced off with an all-too chipper step.
I glanced at Kyle. “Well, I guess that’s that. We settle down to wait, now.”
“Go back to your friend,” he said, smiling gently. “We have a long ways to go. I’m going to get a bite to eat. Do you want anything?”
I tried to remember what I’d eaten earlier but couldn’t. It was past lunch time, now. “Yeah, if you could bring me back a ham and cheese sandwich, and some potato chips—and maybe a bottle of sparkling water?” I glanced back at Bree. “Bree, want anything to eat?”
“I could go for a protein box, if they have something like that. Or hardboiled eggs and some cheese—whatever.”
I reached for my purse, but Kyle stopped me.
“I’ve got this. You go talk to Bree.” He motioned to his men and they turned in unison, following him out of the waiting room.
CHAPTER SIX
As soon as they were gone, I returned to Bree’s side and whispered. “Those are Kyle’s bodyguards. He’s had to take on the mantle of King and their Eldership—I guess it’s like a council—aren’t taking any chances because they assigned guards to him. I get the feeling they’re not only watching out for him, but also watching what he’s up to. So don’t say anything important in front of them.”
“Oh, that makes sense,” Bree said. “Anyway, so I had booked this expedition of eight. Mother, father, twin teenaged boys, adult daughter and her husband, and two family friends. They wanted a four day immersive hike, and they claimed to be highly experienced. None of them looked like couch potatoes, so against my better judgement, I booked them on one of my more difficult hikes. I should have known better. I should have listened to my instincts. Inevitably, when I don’t do that, I end up sorry.” She rolled her eyes.
“So, they weren’t experienced?”
“People are good at doctoring their accomplishments.”
“Uh oh, slackers?”
“Not so much, no. So, I give them the itinerary, and I give them the list of what to bring. Experienced hikers know enough to listen to their guide. I didn’t check whether they complied, and I should have. It’s not my responsibility—they sign liability waivers—but I consider it an ethical move to double check. Especially since we were trekking the Lake Constance Trail.”
I put down my coffee cup. “You took an inexperienced group of hikers up the Lake Constance trail?”
“That’s what ended up happening,” Bree said. “You know I’m conscientious. You know I’m good at my job. People trust me for a reason. I would never take anybody I thought couldn’t manage it. But this time, I didn’t do my due diligence. I believed what I was told and I paid for it, dearly. I’m just lucky that nobody was hurt.”
“I believe you. I know your work ethic. But that’s a rough hike. I’d be done in less than halfway through.” I was in decent shape, but I was all too aware of my limitations.
Lake Constance was in the Olympic National Park, and the hike into it was legendarily difficult. It was frequently commented on as ‘hard as fuck’ and, as a result, attracted the weekend warriors who fancied themselves more capable than they really were.
The trail was poorly maintained, and the elevation was steep and rough, with few resting points. And when the Dosewallips Road had washed out awhile ago, the washout added an additional five to six miles of hiking before you even approached the beginning of the trailhead. Those extra miles were easier than the main hike, but the extra distance took its toll.
Once you reached the actual trail—which was about two miles long—the hike became vertical, and hikers ended up digging in with both hands and feet to claw their way up the mountain. The hike was notorious for the rocks and downed logs, and brambles and nettle that covered the sides of the mountain, turning what was already a difficult climb into a veritable obstacle course. One slip could send you tumbling down the side, though no doubt a tree would stop you the hard way.
The lake itself was gorgeous. With a tropical sea-green hue, the lake was surrounded by steep topography. The pictures were luminous, but everything I had heard made it abundantly clear that I wasn’t in any shape to take the hike on. I could probably make it, but I’d be laid up for weeks with sore muscles afterward.
“So what happened?”
“The first few miles were fine, though that’s when I began to suspect they weren’t nearly as fit as they claimed. They were starting to huff and puff though we were still on an easy gradient. I asked if they were all right, and the entire group got bristly. After awhile, I asked if they wanted to stop off and make camp earlier while we could still see. I should have insisted. But they kept saying no.”
“Let me guess. Things went from bad to worse?”
She rolled her eyes. “Things went from bad to impossible. We managed to cover the easy part—the five miles or so to the main trailhead, but by then it was already one pm. The two miles to the lake is a misnomer. Most of it’s vertical, and takes more time for those two miles than the first five. Not to mention, the toll the climb takes on the body. Walking on a slight gradient for five miles isn’t nearly as difficult as attempting a hard scrabble up the side of a mountain, while getting beat up by the environment along the way.”
Part of me wanted to laugh. It sounded horrible, yes, but also the thought of a group of wannabe weekend warriors insisting they could make such a trek and then failing because they refused to work within their limitations was enough to make me crack up. More people were tripped up by their own egos than any other outside force, as far as I was concerned. But given they were threatening a lawsuit—that wasn’t so funny, after all.
